It's Cold in Florida: Is Climate Change a Hoax?

by Cameron Scott · 2010-01-08 12:25:00 UTC
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bike in snowThe New York Times reported that a cold snap in Florida is threatening the strawberry crop. Meanwhile, it's mighty cold in New York City -- and in the UK.

So what happened to warming? Nothing. Sadly, it's still around.

The explanation is twofold: First, climate isn't weather. The climate can get warmer without abandoning cold snaps -- cold weather -- altogether. Second, while it is cold, it's not colder than it has been historically, particularly before the climate started to warm up. (This graph doesn't leave much room for doubt.)

The volatility of weather makes climate change a more pressing issue because it doesn't just mean cold snaps: It means devastating heat waves, droughts followed by heavy rains that wash soils away, and so on.

But right now, it's just cold. So bundle up and take it.

Photo: Josh Madison

Cameron Scott writes The Thin Green Line blog at SFGate (San Francisco Chronicle).
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